Rats, cockroaches or bedbugs — who do I report an infestation to?
In a rental the landlord deals with pests that come from the building — rats, cockroaches, mice — unless you demonstrably caused them; bedbugs are argued about everywhere, but the landlord still has to act. Report in writing. Община — инспекторат / ГРАО (namrb.org) — the municipality — has a pest-control service or a duty to act on public-health grounds and handles rats in the street or in bins. РЗИ — Регионална здравна инспекция (mh.government.bg) inspects unhealthy housing and can order the landlord to treat. Комисия за защита на потребителите (КЗП) (0700 111 22) decides rent reduction if the home is partly unusable.
🗣️ What to say
"Since [date] there are [rats / cockroaches / bedbugs] at [address], photos attached. Please arrange professional pest control by [deadline] and find the source. Until the home is pest-free I reduce the rent by [%]."
🪜 Step by step
- DocumentPhotos, dates, where; bedbug bites and traces on the mattress; rat droppings and holes.
- Report to the landlord in writingWith a deadline. Ask for a professional company and for the source (drains, waste room, neighbour) to be dealt with.
- Municipality: Община — инспекторат / ГРАОFor rats outside and for landlords who do nothing; many cities treat rats for free.
- Inspection: РЗИ — Регионална здравна инспекцияEnvironmental health can declare the home unhealthy and order treatment.
- Rent reduction: Комисия за защита на потребителите (КЗП)Backdated to the report, proportional to the rooms you cannot use.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Bedbugs: who pays?
Practice varies. Most tenancy bodies make the landlord treat and only charge the tenant if the tenant clearly brought them in — which is very hard to prove.
The whole building is infested
Then it is the building's problem and the landlord must treat all flats at once; single-flat treatment fails. Tell РЗИ — Регионална здравна инспекция — they can order a building-wide programme.
Can I break the lease?
If the home is unfit and the landlord will not act, an inspection report supports termination without notice in most countries.
📎 Sources
- Община — инспекторат / ГРАО →
- РЗИ — Регионална здравна инспекция →
- Комисия за защита на потребителите (КЗП) →
- Асоциация „Активни потребители“ →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “rats in rental landlord responsibility Bulgaria”
- “report pest infestation municipality”
- “bedbugs landlord or tenant pays”
- “cockroaches apartment who to call”
- “rent reduction pests”
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